Exclusive Tips to Boost Your Reading Speed During UPSC Preparation

You must be preparing for the UPSC exam. So, you are reading this blog post. Great! Are you worried after seeing so many books and study materials?

IAS aspirants should read so many books to gain
knowledge about the full syllabus. Absolutely true! The UPSC
syllabus is vast and complex in nature.

Just leave all your worries about managing the
reading speed. I would help you with the related information in the below
paragraphs.

Speed reading is a learnable skill. Even you can do
it. As a result, you will learn how to read a number of words in less time.
There is a specific technique to do it.

On average, you can read 250 words in a minute.
When you have the speed reading skills in hand, you can read 500 words in a
minute. So, just imagine how much time you can save!

Causes of
Slow Reading

Do you know why candidates tend to read slow? It
depends on various factors. So, let’s have a look at these reasons. Later, will
give you the tips to overcome them.

In the initial ages, you used to read each and every word
loudly. Am I right? As age passes, you have learned to read silently in mind.
When you do so, you can hear the inner voice while reading.

This particular voice is called
as sub-vocalization. You can also refer to as internal speech. During such
time, there would be small larynx and other muscle movements.

However, these movements are not
detectable. But, plays an important role while reading. If you minimize such
muscular movement, the reading speed increases. Keep in mind that it is not
possible to completely avoid it.

Please avoid reading word by word. It slows down your reading
speed. Group the block of words and read. Practice this method. You should try
putting more words in one block.

Professionally, it is called as
reading by chunking. When you are capable of integrating more words in a single
block. It means you know how to read faster.

Concentration is again a very important factor. It can directly
affect your reading speed. Please focus on what you are reading. Do not do
multi-tasking. It is highly not recommended.

Carefully understand the concept
well in the first time reading itself. The higher concentration level is of
great importance to read and comprehend faster.

Monitoring eye movement is also important. Do not keep your
eyeballs very close to the book. It surely slows down your reading speed.

Why does this happen? Because you
will see less number of words in close proximity When you hold the book at a
certain distance, the number of words you see is more.

Just to mention, do not keep the
book too far from your eyeballs. It becomes very difficult to read. The right
distance helps you to increase the peripheral vision too.

Do you intend to go back to a certain page or paragraph after
completing once? It is not a wise thing to do. Going back is termed as
regression.

IAS candidates generally do this
in order to confirm whether they have understood what they read previously. You
have a fear of forgetting the concepts.

This habit of yours decreases
the reading speed on a large scale. You can overcome this problem only by
improving concentration power.

Tips to
Increase Your Reading Speed – Overcome Your Problems

Skimming:

Skimming is really a well-known process that helps
to increase the reading speed. You might need to read a lengthy text. There is
no need to read every single word to understand the concept.

Few concepts need quick reading. Some other
concepts demand detailed reading. Give attention to the bold headings. Keep a
check on any of the highlighted text.

In this way, you can move on reading the entire
text at a quick pace. Also, remember the important points. You should know when
to skip the content and when to read it carefully.

This skill is very much necessary to do well in the
comprehension of English paper. While practicing, keep this important tip in
mind.

Bypass
Sub-Vocalization:

You have already understood that silent reading
leads to a lower speed. Consistently practice with higher concentration level.
You can definitely do it.

Make Use
Of Pointers:

The pointer can be in the form of a pen, pencil, or
even your finger. Use it while reading. Move it along the text line when you
read. Make sure you do not stop in between. Keep a time limit and practice.

Plan for the
Right Time:

The difficulty level of each topic differs from one
other. You will need a fresh mind and more time to read tougher concepts. On
the other hand, take up easy subjects when you are tired or not so fresh.

If you pick up a difficult topic with a tired
mindset, then it is not going to solve your purpose. As a result, it slows down
the speed of reading. Plan well before you lose precious time.

Must Have
Good Study Environment:

Make sure you sit in a quiet place while studying.
Avoid the interference of music and any kind of noise. Ultimately, you should
be able to study peacefully.

When you take care of a peaceful environment, you
tend to read faster. Also, you can avoid the process of re-reading.

Develop A
Mind Map:

Just before you start reading any new chapter, take
time to scan the whole thing. Understand what the whole chapter is trying to
explain to you.

When you have a perfect picture of the chapter, it
becomes easy to read with a high focus. Look at all the sub-headings. So that
you will get a complete idea about the chapter.

Learn When
To Skip:

Sometimes, you will have to skip the unnecessary
passages. Those topics are not required as per the UPSC exam syllabus.
So, why do you want to waste time by simply reading it?

Always remember! Your goal is not to finish the
full book. Instead, try focusing on the topics required for the exam. This
should save much of your time.

Practice
Interactive Reading:

Reading for IAS exam is not a one-way procedure.
You need to be interactive throughout the study period. Take down questions
whenever you get some doubts. Otherwise, highlight the important points.

It improves your interest. Again when you revise,
look at these highlights. Don’t you think it as an easy way of revision? Go
ahead and follow this tip sincerely.

Improve
Your Vocabulary:

Without a good hold of vocabulary, it is very
difficult to read fast. More books you read, more words get into your brain. It
improves the speed of reading as well as understanding.

In case you do not understand any specific words,
look into the dictionary. Learn a new set of vocabulary and improve the reading
speed without fail.

Believe In
Your Brain:

Trusting your brain is the first most important
thing to do. If you want to improve the reading speed, then please do it now!
When you do it sincerely, it helps you to break the old reading habits.

Also, you can easily adopt new reading techniques.
What do you think? Every time you read new things, your brain is beside you. It
helps you to understand all the information you read.

If you still forget a few things, it is because of fear or nervousness. Be peaceful and trust your mind. It helps you to recall whatever you read till now. Also, supports you to read faster in the future.